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CITIZENSHIP: Christopher's Legacy to his Children
By Anne Stephanie D. Cruz
A FAMILY OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. (From L-R) Immigration Lawyer Atty.
Michael J. Gurfinkel with multi-awarded actor Christopher de Leon
and his children Maria Michaela, Juan Carlos Miguel, Augusto Gabriel,
and Maria Angelica in Los Angeles, California. After Atty. Gurfinkel
helped Christopher obtain "instant" US citizenship,
he helped Christopher's children also get US citizenship without
any family petition. The actor thanked Atty. Gurfinkel for these
new doors of opportunity for his children, should they wish to
study or eventually settle down in America.
IF you ask multi-awarded actor and television personality
Christopher de Leon what drives him to continue improving his
craft, he’ll tell you in a heartbeat that it’s his
children.
Christopher’s colorful movie career had brought
him countless accolades and recognition; not to mention fame and
financial security. This hands-on father believes however, that
show business is a fickle industry.
“You could be here today and gone tomorrow,”
he says in spite his stature as one of the country’s most
sought after leading men, dramatic actors and television hosts.
Like any other father, Christopher is greatly concerned
about the quality of life his children will lead. His goal is
to be able to give them a rock-solid foundation for the future—a
life that they can be proud of long after the deafening applause
for their famous dad has died down.
Yes, Christopher and his equally-talented wife,
fellow actor Sandy Andolong, are working hard on the future paths
of their five children. Blessed with three sons and two daughters,
the couple envisions not just stable professional careers for
them, but jobs that will showcase their individuality, hone their
talents and skills and make them proud of who they are.
“We want our children to realize their personal
dreams. Whatever field or endeavor they want to get into, we will
support them—even if it means going abroad to study or eventually
settling down there” Christopher says, noting that his eldest
son Rafael, has already expressed plans of being a cartoonist
or animator, like the famous Walt Disney.
He admits that it was his son’s childhood
dream that drove him to pursue his much-publicized American citizenship
case in 1999.
At that time, Christopher approached top immigration
lawyer Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel to ask about the possibility
of obtaining for him a US green card as an “alien of extraordinary
ability” like that of fellow FAMAS awardee Gina Alajar.
But Atty. Gurfinkel, known for looking at every possible angle
of each case, declared that Christopher had a fighting chance
of obtaining an actual US citizenship because his maternal grandfather,
Abe Strauss, was a naturalized American.
Several months later, an excited Christopher made
an overseas call to his US-based mother, Lilia Dizon, announcing
that he has just walked out of the US Embassy in Manila with a
Certificate of Citizenship. Thanks to Atty. Gurfinkel’s
help, the actor was granted instant US citizenship, meaning he
is a US citizen by birth. He did not need to be petitioned, apply
for naturalization, or answer any questions about U.S. history.
But that’s not where the story ends.
A firm believer in Divine intervention, Christopher
says his meeting Atty. Gurfinkel and acquiring American Citizenship
happened for a reason. He shares that this was God’s way
of throwing the windows of opportunity wide open for his children,
should they wish to go to America.
He then asked Atty. Gurfinkel to work on Rafael’s
case next. Being the eldest, Rafael was very excited about coming
to the US. Sure, he and his siblings had been in there before
as tourists, but pursuing higher education in New York had always
been Rafael’s dream--one that the de Leon family have supported
all these years.
As difficult as the case was due to the fact that
Christopher never actually lived in the US, Atty. Gurfinkel did
not easily give up. The top immigration lawyer resorted to a little-known
law allowing acquisition of citizenship through a grandparent.
Based on this provision, Atty. Gurfinkel argued that Rafael’s
grandmother, Lilia Dizon, who was also a US citizen by birth,
met the residency requirement. Thus, Rafael was also entitled
to instant US citizenship.
Barely a week before his 18th birthday, Rafael Sandino
de Leon emerged from the INS office in Los Angeles with a Certificate
of Citizenship. Escorted by his beaming father Christopher, Rafael
basked in having reclaimed his birthright—American citizenship.
That was in January 2001. On May 22, 2003, Atty.
Michael Gurfinkel did what others thought was unthinkable. Christopher’s
remaining four younger children all received their Certificate
of Citizenship. Yes, in one sweep, Juan Carlos Miguel, 17; Augusto
Gabriel, 13; Maria Angelica, 10; and Maria Michaela, 6, also became
“instant” US citizens. They never had to be petitioned,
they never had to wait for many years.
Christopher, a bit emotional from the experience,
profusely thanked Atty. Gurfinkel for his help.
“Thank you for being God’s instrument,
you have no idea how much you have changed our lives. Not only
am I impressed by your hard work and skill, but I am also amazed
at how you treat your clients. We appreciate you accomplishing
seemingly impossible things, for always knowing what to do, and
for being totally honest with us all the time. Most of all, you
have been such a good friend to us all these years. From the beginning
to the end, you fought the battle for me and my children. We can’t
thank you enough,” he said.
Christopher never knew that his greatest legacy
to his children will be his American bloodline. Apart from the
name, the talent, and the popularity, their US citizenship will
be something that all five of them will carry all their lives—and
even possibly pass on to their own children.
Their US citizenship is a testament of his love
for them and how hard he works for their dreams to come true.
Christopher wants their citizenship to serve also as a testament
to Atty. Michael Gurfinkel’s skill as an immigration lawyer,
and a memento of the friendship and bonds their families now share.
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